''Separate Lives'' is a 1995 American

psychological thriller film Psychological thriller is a genre combining the thriller and psychological fiction genres. It is commonly used to describe literature or films that deal with psychological narratives in a thriller or thrilling setting. In terms of context and co ...

directed by David Madden and starring

James Belushi James Adam Belushi (; born June 15, 1954) is an American actor. He is best known for the role of Jim on the sitcom ''According to Jim'' (2001–2009). His other television roles include ''Saturday Night Live'' (1983–1985), '' Total Security'' ...

Linda Hamilton Linda Carroll Hamilton (born September 26, 1956) is an American actress. She played Sarah Connor in the ''Terminator'' film series and Catherine Chandler in the television series ''Beauty and the Beast'' (1987–1990), for which she was nominat ...

Vera Miles Vera June Miles (née Ralston, born August 23, 1929) is an American retired actress who worked closely with Alfred Hitchcock, most notably as Lila Crane in the classic 1960 film '' Psycho'', reprising the role in the 1983 sequel '' Psycho II''. ...

and

Elisabeth Moss Elisabeth Singleton Moss (born July 24, 1982) is an American actor. She is known for her work in several television dramas, earning such accolades as two Primetime Emmy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards, which led ''Vulture'' to name her the ...

Plot

Dr. Lauren Porter's friend was killed a few years ago. Tom Beckwith, an ex-cop who gave up the profession after his wife died, follows Lauren's classes in order to become a psychiatrist. He learns that Lauren has a personality disorder after she convinces him to follow her with a camera and film her. On his first tailing, Tom is beaten by a nightclub's owner who also turns out to be the boyfriend of Lauren's alter ego, Lena. Tom quits, but Lauren persuades him to reconsider. They confide in each other about their respective families. Tom is having a hard time raising his tomboyish daughter Ronni alone while Lauren confides she was the only witness for her mother and stepfather's murders. Her real father Robert, meanwhile, has moved on and is now a happy husband and father again. Tom tries to connect with his ex-colleagues in investigating the murders. He learns that Lauren has an ex-husband, Charles, with whom she stayed on good terms. However, Charles is soon killed. Tom decides to invite Lauren home for a dinner, where she makes Ronni understand that despite any personal problems, Tom is still her father and cares about her. Believing the solution can be found at Lauren's childhood house, Tom drives her there. They discover that Robert is the real culprit. He manipulated his daughter, the only witness, by saying that she was as responsible as he was. Tom is shot in the arm, and Lauren tries to get her father to not kill his own daughter, but Robert coldly refuses to let her go and prepares to kill Lauren, claiming he has always hated her and his family. Seeing Robert as the irredeemable monster he truly is, Tom gets back up and manages to disarm Robert, before throwing him out the window to his death. Tom promises to keep in touch with Lauren, who is committed to an asylum. Before he departs, they kiss.

Cast

as Tom Beckwith *

as Lauren Porter / Lena *

as Dr. Ruth Goldin *

as Ronni Beckwith *

Drew Snyder Drew Snyder (born September 25, 1946 in Buffalo, New York) is an American actor of film and television. He is best known for his roles in films such as ''Commando, Firestarter,'' and ''Cruel Intentions'', a well as numerous guest and recurring r ...

as Robert Porter *

Mark Lindsay Chapman Mark Lindsay Chapman (born 8 September 1954) is an English actor. He is known for his roles as Chief Officer Henry Wilde in the film ''Titanic'' (1997), as John Lennon in the film '' Chapter 27'' (2007) and as Dr. Anton Arcane on the USA Net ...

as Keno Sykes * Marc Poppel as Detective Joe Gallo * Elizabeth Arlen as Dee Harris *

Josh Taylor Josh or Joshua Taylor may refer to: * Josh Taylor (actor) (born 1943), American comedy and dramatic television actor * Josh Taylor (baseball) (born 1993), American professional baseball pitcher * Josh Taylor (boxer) (born 1991), Scottish profession ...

as Charles Duffy * Ken Kerman as Detective Boyle *

Michael Whaley Michael Whaley is an American film and television actor. He graduated from Culver City High School in 1980. Some of his most known characters are Dr. Wesley 'Wes' Hayes on ''Sisters'', Det. Nathan Brubaker on '' Profiler'', Detective Paul Armstro ...

as Detective Miller * Jackie Debatin as Darlene *

Joshua Malina Joshua Charles Malina (born January 17, 1966) is an American film and stage actor known for playing Will Bailey on the NBC drama ''The West Wing'', Jeremy Goodwin on '' Sports Night'', US Attorney General David Rosen on ''Scandal'', and Caltech ...

as Randall *

Lisa Vanderpump Lisa or LISA may refer to: People People with the mononym * Lisa Lisa (born 1967), American actress and lead singer of the Cult Jam * Lisa (Japanese musician, born 1974), stylized "LISA", Japanese singer and producer * Lisa Komine (born 1978), J ...

as Heidi Porter * Craig Stepp as David Mills *

Lisa Chess Lisa Chess is a film, television and theatre actress. Career Chess is perhaps best known for her recurring role on the American television series '' Picket Fences'' and such films as '' Star Trek: The Motion Picture'' and ''The Hollow ''The ...

as Margaret Porter-Mills

External links

* * {{rotten-tomatoes, separate_lives 1995 films 1995 thriller films 1990s psychological thriller films American psychological thriller films Films scored by William Olvis Trimark Pictures films 1990s English-language films 1990s American films